Pesto isn’t just for pasta – this little gem of a recipe will help you whip up a fresh jar of flavor-packed, non-dairy pesto to add a little something extra to all kinds of paleo dishes.

You’ll notice this easy paleo pesto recipe is a little different – and honestly it came together on a whim.

Being an Italian girl, I really miss the little bit of cheese that comes with the classic pesto sauce.

So yesterday I was whipping up my usual batch of pesto to top some hot-off-the-grill chicken.

But this time I decided to add half of a ripe avocado to the mix, and I bumped up the lemon juice just a smidge. Wow! Those little tweaks really took this pesto up a notch or two.

So with this yummy recipe you get all the traditional pesto flavors you love including basil and garlic – plus the extra fat and flavor from the avocado that makes this pesto a bit more creamy and smooth.

I’m planning on adding a little coconut milk to this one in the future and serve it over hot zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash. A nice creamy pesto with your paleo pasta…is your mouth watering yet? :)

If you’re a pesto lover like me, you should really give this creamier version a try.

Use this easy paleo pesto recipe to make a flavorful garnish for your favorite meat, veggie and seafood paleo dishes.

I took some leftover chicken to work today and topped it with the pesto sauce – the color was still bright-green thanks to the lemon juice in the mix.

This batch makes about a cup and should keep in your fridge for awhile. Just remember it’s there!

You can add pesto to all kinds of dishes. It makes a great topping for chicken, pork chops, grilled steak, and even fish (try this one with fresh grilled salmon!) Or you can use this pesto as a garnish for steamed veggies, thin it with a little oil or vinegar for a salad dressing, top off your breakfast eggs with a dab of it, use it as a dip, or add this one to your meat and veggie stews for extra flavor – the ways you can use a good pesto sauce are practically endless.

Hope you enjoy this quick and easy paleo pesto recipe!

And stay tuned for more new stuff coming your way in the new year from Paleo Newbie…I want to help you make it your best year ever living and loving the paleo lifestyle!

Can this be divided and frozen. I often divide my regular pesto into small containers and it freezes nicely…not sure if it works with the avocado? Sounds very yummy :) Thanks for all your great ideas :)